Structural member lifting and releasing device

ABSTRACT

A generally rectangular body is vertically disposed edgewise and provided with a bail for connection with a hoisting cable. The depending edge portion of the body is provided with a transverse slot of generally U-shape. The legs forming the U-shape are transversely apertured for receiving a locking member adapted to be projected across the legs of the U-shape and engage an edge portion of a structural member to be lifted. Control means, connected with the locking member, retracts the latter to release the structural member from a remote location.

United States Patent [191 Barnes 1 1 STRUCTURAL MEMBER LIFTING AND RELEASING DEVICE ['76] inventor: Eldridge Barnes, Rt. 4, Box 142,

Okemah, Okla. 74859 [22] Filed: Oct. 25, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 409,549

[52] US. Cl. 294/83 R; 24/241 SL [51] Int. Cl. B66c 1/36 [58] Field of Search.... 294/78 R, 82 R, 83 R, 83 A,

24/2305 R, 230.5 S, 230.5 SA, 238. 239,

241 R, 241 SL [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 411,860 10/1889 Hamaker 294/83 R 555,462 2/1896 Morrow. 294/83 R 294/83 R 294/82 R X 9/1916 Lyon 6/1930 Lotts [451 July 22,1975

1/1947 Dunn 294/83 R X 3/1972 Bauer 24/241 51..

Primary Examiner-Even C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert K. Rhea [S '7 ABSTRACT A generally rectangular body is vertically disposed edgewise and provided with a bail for connection with a hoisting cable. The depending edge portion of the body is provided with a transverse slot of generally U- shape. The legs forming the U-shape are transversely apertured for receiving a locking member adapted to be projected across the legs of the U-shape and engage an edge portion of a structural member to be lifted. Control means, connected with the locking member, retracts the latter to release the structural member from a remote location.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF. THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention.

The present invention relates to construction work and more particularly to a hoist and line operated lifting apparatus for positioning elongated structural members. i

Bridge and building piles usually comprise elongated structural members referred to as H-beams which are relatively long, from 70 to 90 feet in length, and must be vertically disposed within a hole or socket formed in the earth for later driving the beams further into the earth. Heretofore the H-beam has been lifted by a hoist, such as a crane, having a hook connected with the upper end portion of the beam thus necessitating a workman climbing the beam to release the hook before the pile driving action begins.

This invention overcomes this disadvantage by providing an apparatus engageable with one end portion of such a beam which may be released by workmen on the ground after the beam has been vertically disposed.

2. Description of the prior art.

Pat. No. 2,276,990 discloses a powder loading device including a hollow body provided with a downwardly open U-shaped slot in its depending surface for supporting a powder cartridge supporting ring by locking members released by pressure applied thereto through a hollow supporting cable.

This invention is distinctive over this patent by providing a locking member extending across the opening of a U-shape formed in a support body when supporting a workpiece by connecting a manually operated control line to the locking member which is entrained over pulleys and exerts an axial thrust on the locking member for manual remote release of the latter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A generally planar rectangular body is vertically disposed edgewise and provided with a bail projecting above its upper limit for receiving a hoist cable, or the like. The depending edge portion of the body is provided with an inverted U-shaped slot having transverse apertures formed in the legs defining the U-shape slidably receiving one end portion of a locking member supported by the body and normally biased to project across the legs of the U-shape. A manually operated control, entrained around a roller and at least one pulley supported by the body, is connected with the locking member for retracting the latter and releasing a workpiece having an edge portion disposed within the body slot.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a hoist operated lifting and release apparatus for an elongated structural member which may be manually released by a workman on the ground when the apparatus is positioned at the upwardly disposed end of a structural member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus in an exploded relation with respect to a fragment of the upper end portion of a structural member; and,

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view, partially in elevation, illustrating the apparatus connected to a fragment of a structural member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral 5 indicates the fragmentary upper end portion of a vertically disposed structural member, such as an H-beam, having a web 6 provided with a transverse aperture 7 adjacent the upper end of the beam.

The reference numeral 10 indicates a substantially rectangular planar body vertically disposed edgewise comprising a pair of spaced-apart plates 12 and 14 having a rod-like bar forming a bail l6 and having the end portions thereof interposed between and connected with the respective plates, as by welding, not shown. The bail 16 receives a hoist cable 17. The depending edge portion of the plates are transversely slotted to form a substantially inverted U-shaped slot 18 with a portion of the legs of the U-shape defined by a pair of cylindrical members 20 and 22 similarly secured to the depending edge limits of the plates in coaxial relation. Each of the members 20 and 22 are line drilled to form a body aperture 24 for slidably receiving one end portion of a rod-like locking member 26. The other end portion of the locking member 26 projects through and is slidably supported by an opening 28 formed in an end plate 30 transversely secured to the depending end portion of the plates 12 and 14 opposite the position of the slot 18. The end plate 30 projects, at its respective ends, beyond the plane of the respective side surfaces formed by the body plates 12 and 14. The end plate is provided with a pair of spaced-apart slots 32 for respectively receiving a peripheral portion of a pair of pulleys 34 journalled by an axle 36 secured to the end wall 30. A pair of bars 38 are secured to an outer side surface of the respective plate 12 and 14 and the member 22 and depend from the body in parallel spaced relation. A pin 40, extending between the depending end por tions of the bars, journals a roller 42. A flexible line or strand 44 has its respective ends, only one being shown, secured to the respective end portion of a cotter pin 46 extending transversely through the locking member 26 with an intermediate portion of the strand 44 entrained over the respective pulleys 34 and the roller 42 thus forming a strand loop 48 by its medial portion which is entrained through a block 50. The eye of the block is connected with one end of an elongated line 52 so that a manual pull on the other end of the line 52 axially moves the locking member 26 out of the U-shaped body slot 18. A resilient member, such as a spring 54, interposed between the cotter pin 46 and the adjacent surface of the end wall 30, normally biases the locking member in an axial direction to extend one end portion across the legs of the body slot 18.

A keeper loop or rod-like ring 56 is secured to the end portion of the locking member projecting beyond the end wall 30 for frictional engagement with the adjacent surface of the end wall and maintaining the locking member in a retracted position with respect to the body slot 18 for ease in connecting the apparatus with a structural member before lifting the latter. The apparatus is further provided with a rod-like handle 58 connected with the end plate 30 and bail 16 for manual manipulation of the apparatus in connecting it with a structural member.

Operation In operation the bail 16 is connected with the hoist line or cable 17 while the structural member 5 is generally horizontally disposed on the surface of the earth. A workman positions the body slot 18, with the locking member 26 retracted, in straddling relation with respect to the H-beam flange 6 and aligns the apertures 24 with the l-l-beam flange aperture so that the locking member, when released, projects through the l-l-beam flange aperture and projects across the legs of the body slot 18. Thereafter the hoist lifts the beam to a desired location and while being lifted a workman holds or grasps the depending end portion of the line'52. When the beam 5 is positioned as desired a manual pull on the line 52 retracts the locking member 26 out of engagement with the beam flange so that release of the apparatus 10 from the beam is achieved.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to changes or alterations without defeating its practicability, therean elongated reciprocable locking member having one end portion arranged to. be projected horizontally across the legs of the U-shape through the aperture;

at least one pulley mounted on said body beside the other end portion of said locking member;

an end plate transversely secured to one end of said body, said plate having an opening coaxial with the body aperture, said other end portion of said locking member being coaxially received slidably by the opening;

a resilient member normally biasing said one end of said locking member across the legs of the U- shape;

a control line entrained around said pulley and operatively connected with said locking member for withdrawing said locking member from its position across the legs of the U-shape in response to a downward pull on the line;

a bail connected with said body opposite the opening of the U-shape slot for connection with a hoisting cable;

a pair of bars secured to said body intermediate its ends in depending spaced relation; and,

a roller extending between said bars and being journalled thereby for rotation about a horizontal axis normal to the plane of said body, the depending portion of said line adjacent said pulley being entrained over said roller. 

1. An apparatus for hoist lifting and releasing an elongated structural member comprising: a generally planar body disposed in a vertical plane and having a transverse downwardly open slot in the general form of an inverted U for receiving an edge portion of the structural member to be lifted, said body having an aperture transversely intersecting the legs of the U-shape; an elongated reciprocable locking member having one end portion arranged to be projected horizontally across the legs of the Ushape through the aperture; at least one pulley mounted on said body beside the other end portion of said locking member; an end plate transversely secured to one end of said body, said plate having an opening coaxial with the body aperture, said other end portion of said locking member being coaxially received slidably by the opening; a resilient member normally biasing said one end of said locking member across the legs of the U-shape; a control line entrained around said pulley and operatively connected with said locking member for withdrawing said locking member from its position across the legs of the U-shape in response to a downward pull on the line; a bail connected with said body opposite the opening of the Ushape slot for connection with a hoisting cable; a pair of bars secured to said body intermediate its ends in depending spaced relation; and, a roller extending between said bars and being journalled thereby for rotation about a horizontal axis normal to the plane of said body, the depending portion of said line adjacent said pulley being entrained over said roller. 